e zone," Scherzer said. Endy Chavez hit a leadoff double in the Seattle

BRISTOL, Tenn. -- Joey Logano is looking more and more like a Sprint Cup title contender. Logano surged past Matt Kenseth with 44 laps to go and won for the first time in his career at Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday night, foiling the 2003 series champions gambling attempt to secure a spot in NASCARs playoffs. Logano, just 24, became the fifth driver this season to win three times, joining the Hendrick Motorsports trio of Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Penske Racing teammate Brad Keselowski, who finished second. Is there a message in that heading into the Chase for the championship in two weeks? "That we can win the thing," Logano said. Logano had never won more than one race in a season before this year, and has doubled his career victory total. He also added a cherished notch by winning at Bristol, which bills itself as the worlds fastest half-mile. "I feel like the Bristol night race is maybe the third or fourth biggest race of the year," he said. "Just the atmosphere before the race, if it doesnt pump you up, nothing does. Its just the baddest mamma jamma race track ever built." He gained the top spot when Kenseth elected to stay on the track when most of the field pitted after a caution flag with 67 laps to go, picking track position and fresh air over new tires. It seemed like a strategy that could work, especially if he could stay in the high groove that gave drivers decidedly more speed off the corners all weekend on the 0.533-mile oval. But the Penske Racing teammates quickly proved it faulty. "I just knew that clean air was going to be worth more than new tires," Kenseth said of his decision after finishing third. He said he also felt his car wasnt as strong as he liked on fresh tires, and first Logano and then Keselowski foiled his plan. "They cleared everybody way too fast," Kenseth said. He still remains in great position to make the playoffs, standing fifth in the points race and first among non-winners. His lead is now 90 points over 17th place Kasey Kahne, who has only two races left to overtake him before the field is set. Keselowski never made a serious bid to overtake Logano, though he did pull up to his bumper on the last lap. "When Id get right behind him, Id get in the dirty air and it just pushed too much be able to do anything," he said. "The last lap I just dive-bombed it in there on a prayer and kind of hoping it would stick or he would slip of something would happen for me, and made it look cool. But it really wasnt that close." It did, however, give Penske a sweep of the weekend, its first since 2006. Ryan Blaney won the Nationwide race on Friday night, and along with the 1-2 finish, Will Power won the pole in Sonoma in IndyCar on Saturday. Keselowski also won the truck race Thursday, giving Ford its first sweep of NASCARs top three series since 2006. Jimmie Johnson, slowed early by two pit road speeding penalties, rallied to finish fourth, his best result since mid-June at Michigan, and Kurt Busch was fifth, rallying on a call by crew chief Daniel Knost with 130 to go after almost being lapped. Gordon remained the points leader despite a 16th-place run. Hes 27 clear of Earnhardt and 42 ahead of Keselowski. With 100 to go, it looked possible the series might get a 13th winner of the year. Jamie McMurray, who led a race-best 148 laps, was leading, followed by Kenseth, and Ryan Newman was ninth. As the final laps clicked off, though, McMurray faded to eighth and Newman, once as high as seventh, dropped to 13th. Kahne, another driver desperate for a victory or a surge in the point standings, led the race for 40 laps, almost to the halfway point. He then pitted under green with a loose wheel and went two laps down. He wound up 35th. It was another rough night for Aric Almirola, who has had six of those in a row since his first career victory at Daytona made him one of the unlikeliest drivers to secure a spot in the upcoming Chase. Almirola, who started 42nd after crashing in qualifying, completed just 37 laps before crashing. "What an amazing race car these guys brought me -- two of them -- and to go out like that is certainly disappointing. But thats racing at Bristol," he said. "You get caught up in other peoples wrecks." Mike Hughes Youth Jersey . Dirk Nowitzki scored 25 points, Shawn Marion had 22 and the Mavericks beat undermanned Philadelphia 124-112 Friday night, handing the 76ers their 10th straight loss. Randy Moss Jersey . 5 Trade Deadline is drawing closer and teams will be deciding on whether to buy or sell while figuring out which players can make the biggest difference and hold the greatest value. http://www.thevikingsshoponline.com/Youth-Jalyn-Holmes-Vikings-Jersey/ .com) - Longtime Senators star Daniel Alfredsson returned to Ottawa on Thursday to officially announce his retirement. Jalyn Holmes Youth Jersey . Roy says he will know more about Duchenes potential playing status Sunday. Duchene has been out since damaging the MCL in his left knee when he ran into a teammate against San Jose on March 29. Hes been skating on his own all week, before joining the team Saturday hours before a pivotal game in a series tied at 2. Cris Carter Womens Jersey . Each day, TSN.ca provides the latest rumours, reports and speculation from around the NHL beat. Defensive Depth TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun is reporting the Toronto Maple Leafs have considerable interest in unrestricted free-agent defenceman Dan Boyle. SEATTLE -- Mariners rookie Roenis Elias has flashed signs of brilliance in the first two months of his major league career. A strong fastball. A big, bending curveball that can buckle hitters at the knees. Against the Detroit Tigers on Sunday, Elias put the entire package together against one of the leagues strongest lineups. The 25-year-old left-hander from Cuba kept Detroit off balance in throwing a three-hitter, pitching Seattle to a 4-0 win. Elias (4-4) struck out eight and walked one in his 12th major league start, and the first one to last longer than seven innings. Elias is the first Mariners rookie to record a shutout since Freddy Garcia on Aug. 24, 1999, against the Tigers. "He had all his secondary stuff," manager Lloyd McClendon said. "I thought his changeup was exceptional. He kept the fastball down for the most part. Pitched in and out. The curveball was good as well but I thought the changeup was the equalizer today." Heading to the mound for the ninth inning, Elias had to face the heart of Detroits lineup in Ian Kinsler, Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez. All three hitters are hitting over .300 and were facing Elias for the fourth time in the game, but he made quick work of the trio to close out the victory. "I didnt think there was much that would affect this guy as far as nerves were concerned given his situation and where he came from," McClendon said. "He didnt disappoint. He just went out and did his job. Elias recorded five of his eight strikeouts with the curveball. "When he keeps (the curveball) in the zone and guys have to respect it as a strike and then he can use it as a put-away pitch, thats when its really working well for him," catcher Mike Zunino said. The Tigers only moved one runner in scoring position, and Elias matched a career high with 111 pitches. "I was told that to have success (in the majors) you have to have command of three pitches," Elias said through a translator. "The curveball, the changeup and the fastball were all working today..dddddddddddd." Elias threw the first complete game shutout for Seattle since Aaron Harang on June 11, 2013, in a 4-0 win over the Houston Astros. Elias said it was only his second career complete game, the other coming in Single-A. The Tigers were shut out for the third time this season and second time on their current road trip. The Tigers have lost 10 of their last 14 games. "He had a good curveball with a good down angle. Its tough to square up on," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. "It was just one of those days where we made quick, easy outs and didnt really put up much of a fight. Max Scherzer (6-2) gave up four runs and nine hits in 6 2-3 innings. In his last three outings, he has allowed 16 earned runs with a 7.32 ERA. His ERA for the year has climbed to 3.20. "They did a good job hitting some pitches that were up and capitalized on some off-speed mistakes that sailed up in the zone," Scherzer said. Endy Chavez hit a leadoff double in the Seattle first and Michael Saunders doubled for a 1-0 lead. Willie Bloomquist and Chavez each singled in the third, putting runners at the corners with no outs. James Jones flied out, Saunders struck out and Bloomquist was thrown out at home plate on a double steal attempt. In the fifth, Dustin Ackley led off with a single and swiped second base. Bloomquist hit an RBI double and James singled home a run. Brad Miller homered off Scherzer in the seventh. NOTES: Seattle 2B Robinson Cano was out of the lineup for a fourth straight game. He is day to day while dealing with a bone bruise on his left hand. ... Jones was removed from the game for precautionary reasons in the eighth with tightness in his left groin. He was replaced defensively by Cole Gillespie. ... Detroit C Bryan Holaday has thrown out just two of 10 runners who have tried to steal against him. Ackley and Jones both stole bases in the fifth inning for Seattle. ... Seattle SS Miller homered for the first time since April 11 against Oakland, his fourth on the year. ' ' '